Experts are raising concerns about the potential misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) by terrorist groups. In a new report, researchers warn that AI could be used to develop novel methods of delivering explosives, improve online recruitment initiatives, and spread hate speech.
Antonia Marie De Meo, director of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, emphasizes the dangers of AI in the wrong hands. “AI is a powerful tool that could be employed to further facilitate terrorism and violent extremism,” she states.
The report, “Algorithms and Terrorism: The Malicious Use of Artificial Intelligence for Terrorist Purposes,” highlights potential threats such as self-driving car bombs, augmented cyberattacks, and the easier dissemination of hate speech.
Law enforcement agencies are urged to stay ahead of the curve by developing strategies to counter these threats. “It is our aspiration that this report is the beginning of the conversation on the malicious use of AI for terrorist purposes,” De Meo writes.
The report notes that terrorists are already exploiting AI tools for recruitment and attacks. A study by NATO COE-DAT and the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute confirms this trend.
“The line between reality and fiction blurs in the age of rapid technological evolution,” the authors write, emphasizing the need for ethical frameworks and regulations.
Examples of AI’s potential misuse include using OpenAI’s ChatGPT to improve phishing emails, spread disinformation, and create online propaganda. Terrorist groups could also use AI to develop deepfakes or chatbots to obtain sensitive information or plan attacks.
West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center has also conducted research on the subject, focusing on AI’s ability to enhance planning capabilities for terrorist attacks.
The study warns that AI models need constant review and increased cooperation between private and public sectors to prevent their misuse by terrorists.
